‘They Might Bite:’ 10,000 Carnivorous Minks Are on the Loose After Being Set Free By Vandals

An Ohio farm has found itself asking: “Who let the minks out?”

On Monday evening, 25,000 to 40,000 mink animals were released from their cages after vandals broke into Lion Farms USA Mink Farm in Hoaglin Township. The trespassers allegedly destroyed a fence to gain access to the farm, which is known as a “fur facility,” and set the animals free, according to a report from the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office.

At this time, the perpetrators have yet to be identified, but law enforcement is investigating the incident as an act of vandalism and a breaking-and-entering complaint.

However, the letters “ALF,” which stands for “Animal Liberation Front,” which is seen as an animal rights extremist group by the FBI, and the words “we’ll be back” was written in red spray paint on the side of a building near the point entry.

Although many of the released minks were corralled by farm workers on the property, 10,000 minks are still unaccounted for, according to local news outlet WANE15.

While minks are small in stature and are similar to that of a ferret, they are “carnivorous mammals that stick to a diet consisting of fresh kills,” the sheriff’s office warned, adding, “they regularly hunt prey bigger than themselves.” The office advised homeowners and livestock owners, particularly those who own poultry and fish ponds, to be on the lookout for the pests.

Additionally, the office advised people not to approach the minks if spotted because “they might bite,” and to call for help. Since the incident, the office said they “received a large volume of calls regarding trapping and shooting.”